Suleiman Elected President
Lebanon’s Army Commander Michel Suleiman was elected president by lawmakers on Sunday in a first step towards ending a long-running political crisis.
“Michel Suleiman got 118 votes and I declare him president of Lebanon,” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said.
Of the 127 MPs who voted, six cast blank ballots and one voted for slain ex-premier Rafiq Hariri and several MPs killed in Lebanon since 2005.
One MP also voted for former MP Jean Obeid and another voted for majority ex-MP Nassib Lahoud.
Celebratory gunshots were fired into the air across Beirut following the announcement of the vote.(Naharnet-AFP)
